'Collections of travels through Turky into Persia, and the East Indies. Giving an account of the present state of those countries, as also a full relation of the five years wars, between Aureng-Zebe and his brothers in their father's life time, about the succession. And a voyage made by the Great Mogul (Aureng-Zebe) with his Army from Dehli to Lahor, from Lahor to Bember, and from thence to the Kingdom of Kachemire, by the Mogols, call'd, the Paradise of the Indies. Together with a relation of the Kingdom of Japan and Tunkin, and of their particular manners and trade. To which is added a new description of the Grand Seignior's Seraglio, and also of all the Kingdoms that encompass the Euxine and Caspian Seas, being the travels of Monsieur TavernierBernier, and other great men.' [‎59] (96/1024)

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1 muft confch, that in rhe year 1638 l faw a great part of the Grand Si«vor\
Army, and feveral Boats fall of Warlike Provifions fall down the Stream, when
he went to befifge it; but when they were forc’d to ta eaway all the Mills that
are upon the River ; which was not done without a vaft trouble and expence. As for
Tigris, it is not navigable hill beyond Babylon down to Ba/fira, where you may
take Water, and be at,in nine cays. But the Voyage is very inconvenient,
for at every Town wdiich the have upon the River, you muft be hal’d, ancl
be forc’d to leave fome Money behind you. Sometimes indeed the Merchants of
ATonffuldn^ Bagdat’, and others that come out of Chaldea to Trade at Balfara, carry
their Goods by Water from Bagdat-, but in regard the Boats are only to he tbw’d
by Men, it takes them up a Voyage of feventy days. By this you may judge of
the time and expence of carrying Goods by W ater up the River TMpJrrates to Bir
where they are to be unlad’n for Aleppo.
In fhort, if the convenience of Morat-fm (for fo the Turks ca\\ Euphrates) were
to be had, and that Goods might be tranfported by that River, the Merchants
would never take that way: for the Arabian Princes, with their People an 1 their
Cattel lying all the Summer long upon the Banks of the River, For the fake of the
Water and the Grafs, would make the Merchants pay what Toil they pleas’d them-
fefves. , ;
I faw an Example of this, coming one time from Babylon to Aleppo. In all which
Road we met but with one of thofe Arabian Princes, who lay at Anna : yet he
made us pay for every Camel’s Load forty Piafters. And which was wo/fe, he
detain’d us above five Weeks, to the end his Subjedb might get more of our Money
by felling us their Provifions. The laft time I pafs’d the Defert, I met another of
thefe Arabian Princes together with his Brother, both young Men : He would not-'
let us go a ftep farther, unieis we would exc hange two hundred Piafters in fpecie
for Larins, the Money of the Country ; and he forc’d iis to take them what ever we
could urge to make it appear how much wefhould lofe by them. And indeed we
faid as much as we could, for the difpute lafted two and twenty days to no purpofe *
might overcoming right. By this you may guefs what the other Arabians would do’
who are not a jot more civil ; and whether the Merchants would get by taking the
Road of Euphrates.
The City is govern’d by a Baft)a, who commands all the Country from Alexan-
dretta to Euphrates. His Guard ufudly confifts of three hundred Men, and fome
years ago he was made a Vizier. There is alfo an Jga or Captain’qf the Cavalry,
as well within the City as without, who commands four hundred Men. There is
another Aga who has under him feyen hundred Jamjaries, who has the charge of
the Gates of the City 3 to whom the Keys are carry'd every Evening, neither has
he anydependance upon the Bajha.~ The Gaftle is alfo under another Commander^
fent immediately from Conftantinople, who has under him two hundred Musketeers,
and likewife the charge of the Cannon; of which there are about thirty Pieces v
eight great Guns, the reft of afmallfize. There is alfo anctherW^ or Captain of
the City, who commands three hundred Harqdebuzes •, hcfide r Sou-Ba/hi, who is a
kind of Provoftof the Merchants, or.Captain of the Watch, going the round every
Night with his Officers though the City and Suburbs. He aifo puts in Execution
the Sentences of the Bajha, upon Criminal Offenders.
In Civils there is a Cadi, who fits foie Judge, without any Afliftants, of all Caufes
as well Civil as Criminal *, and when he has condemn’d any Man to Death, he fends
him to the Bafia, together with his Accufation, with whom the ^4^ does as he
pleafes. This Cady makes and diffolves all Contrafts of Marriage *, all Afts of Sale
and Purchafe pafsin his prefence. He alfo creates thefworn Mafters of every Trade,
who make their infpeaion that there may be no deceit in the Work. The Grand
Signors Duties are receiv’d by a Tefterdar, or Treafurer-General, who has under
him feveral Receivers in divers places.
In matters of Religion, the A/fufti the Chief, and the Interpreter of the Law,
as well in relation to the Ceremonies, as in all Ecclefiafticai differences. Among
thefe Interpreters of the Law there is a Chieke or Dodtor, appointed to inftrudl thofe
that arc newly converted to Mahnmetanijm^ and to teach them the Maxims and Cu-
ftomsof their Religion.
Three days after I arriv’d at Aleppo 7 Sultan Amur at made his Entry, going to
H 2 * his
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